Newsweek: Bush at 36 percent
approval

Nov. 12, 2005 at
6:24PM

President Bush has recorded
another new low in public approval, with just 36 percent of Americans approving
of his job performance in a new Newsweek poll.

The poll was conducted on Thursday
and Friday nights, so it reflects -- to some extent -- public reaction to
Bush's Veterans Day speech, in which he once again laid out his case for the
war in Iraq and accused critics of trying to rewrite history.

More than two-thirds of those
polled -- 68 percent -- said they are dissatisfied with the direction of the
country. That's the highest number for that question during Bush's presidency.

Like other recent polls, the
Newsweek poll shows Americans are increasingly questioning the president's
character -- with half of those polled saying they believe he is not honest and
ethical, and just 42 percent saying they believe he is. Only 29 percent said
they believe that Vice President Dick Cheney is honest and ethical.

Fifty-two percent said they
believe Cheney "deliberately misused or manipulated pre-war intelligence
about Iraq's nuclear capabilities in order to build support for war."